The Crusaders Unable to Pay the Venetians by Robert de Clari discussed when the pilgrims and crusaders stayed on the island of St. Nicholas in 1202 and they could not fully pay back the Doge of Venice and the Venetians back after they had spent a year and half making the crusaders a great fleet. The doge of Venice acted fair throughout the process and thought of the best solution for the tough situation at hand.
Island of St. Nicholas
When faced with a tough situation that could have turned out badly the doge of Venice made a series of exceptional decisions that made everyone happy and posed as most fair outcomes. As said by Robert de Clari, “The doge, however, was a very excellent man and did not prevent the people from bringing enough food and drink”(La Prise de Constantinople). This showed that even though he was mad at the crusaders for not being able to pay back the full amount and how they had wasted Venetian time, the doge still showed compassion and allowed the crusaders to get food and drink. Also told by Robert de Clari that the doge proposed, “Sirs, we have agreed, I and my people, that if you are willing to guarantee faithfully to pay us the 36,000 marks, which you owe us, out of your share of the first conquests, we will carry you across the sea”(La Prise de Constantinople). This was the best example on how the doge showed his compassion toward the crusaders. Instead of keeping them on the island or letting them go home untrustworthy he made a fair deal for them to pay him back in exchange of going home. In this way the Venetians and the crusaders were all happy and the peace was kept. Throughout the whole ordeal with the crusaders paying as much as they could and still coming up short, the Venetians and doge could have acted unfairly and cruelly. Instead they did about the fairest thing that could have been done, keeping everyone happy and which made the most peaceful outcome for the Venetians.
David Augur
Citation: "Medieval Sourcebook: Robert De Clari: The Capture of Constantinople." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. Web. 09 May 2016.
When faced with a tough situation that could have turned out badly the doge of Venice made a series of exceptional decisions that made everyone happy and posed as most fair outcomes. As said by Robert de Clari, “The doge, however, was a very excellent man and did not prevent the people from bringing enough food and drink”(La Prise de Constantinople). This showed that even though he was mad at the crusaders for not being able to pay back the full amount and how they had wasted Venetian time, the doge still showed compassion and allowed the crusaders to get food and drink. Also told by Robert de Clari that the doge proposed, “Sirs, we have agreed, I and my people, that if you are willing to guarantee faithfully to pay us the 36,000 marks, which you owe us, out of your share of the first conquests, we will carry you across the sea”(La Prise de Constantinople). This was the best example on how the doge showed his compassion toward the crusaders. Instead of keeping them on the island or letting them go home untrustworthy he made a fair deal for them to pay him back in exchange of going home. In this way the Venetians and the crusaders were all happy and the peace was kept.
Throughout the whole ordeal with the crusaders paying as much as they could and still coming up short, the Venetians and doge could have acted unfairly and cruelly. Instead they did about the fairest thing that could have been done, keeping everyone happy and which made the most peaceful outcome for the Venetians.
David Augur
Citation:
"Medieval Sourcebook: Robert De Clari: The Capture of Constantinople." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. Web. 09 May 2016.